A prophet carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, angels playing the violin and the harp, and saints from the Middle Ages to our own day: 15 windows for one parish church in Herzegovina.

Stolac

Stolac is an old town in Herzegovina, in the south of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the road from Mostar toward Trebinje and Dubrovnik. Above it stand the walls of the medieval fortress of Vidoški.

The Catholic parish is dedicated to Saint Elijah the Prophet, whose feast on 20 July is celebrated in Stolac by thousands of people every year. Its second patron is Mala Gospa, the Nativity of Our Lady, celebrated each September.

The commission

On 3 February 2015 the parish, represented by its pastor, don Rajko Marković, received our offer for 15 new stained glass windows on themes chosen by the parish. Stanisic Studio was represented by its owner, Stevan Stanisic, 4th generation of the family studio.

The work was planned in 4 months. Most of the nave windows are about 3 ft 1 in wide and 8 ft 10 in high, and they received new metal frames. Others were set into the existing frames: 2 windows of angels, about 2 ft 6 in by 7 ft 10 in, the window of Our Lady of Vidoštak, and a rose window of the Holy Spirit of about 21 square feet. The 15th window, a round window of Blessed Ivan Merz for the sacristy, was the studio's gift to the parish. Merz had already appeared in our windows for Prnjavor.

From sketch to window

As always, the studio began with sketches, then enlarged the approved designs to full size in 2 copies and cut templates for every piece of glass. The glass is factory colored. Faces, hands, robes and shadows were painted by hand with iron oxide paints and fired in the kiln at about 1,200°F, so the painting becomes part of the glass. Each window was then leaded and sealed with liquid putty on both sides.

Leading the stained glass window of Saint Luke the Evangelist in the studio in Sombor, Serbia — Leading the Saint Luke window

All the windows share one frame: a border of green leaves and white roses, a golden edge, a lattice of grey grisaille behind each figure, and the name in a golden panel at the foot.

Angels with music

2 windows of musical angels play the violin and the lute, the flute and the harp, each angel in a red and gold medallion.

Stained glass window with 2 angels playing the violin and the lute in red and gold medallions, Stolac

Angels with violin and lute Stained glass window with 2 angels playing the flute and the harp in red and gold medallions, Stolac

Angels with flute and harp

The Evangelists

The 4 Evangelists stand with their books and their ancient symbols: Matthew with the angel, Mark with the winged lion, Luke with the winged ox and John with the eagle. We also painted the 4 Evangelists for Neum.

Stained glass window of Saint Matthew the Evangelist with a book and an angel, Stolac

Saint Matthew Stained glass window of Saint Mark the Evangelist with a book and the winged lion, Stolac

Saint Mark

Stained glass window of Saint Luke the Evangelist with a book and the winged ox, Stolac

Saint Luke Stained glass window of Saint John the Evangelist with a book and the eagle, Stolac

Saint John

Saints and blesseds

Saint Nikola Tavelić, a Franciscan from Šibenik, was martyred in Jerusalem in 1391 and canonized in 1970. He holds the cross and the palm above the flames. Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, Archbishop of Zagreb, was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1998. His window shows him in his red and black cassock, with a church tower behind him.

Stained glass window of Saint Nikola Tavelić with a cross and a palm above the flames, Stolac

Saint Nikola Tavelić Stained glass window of Blessed Alojzije Stepinac in a red and black cassock, Stolac

Blessed Alojzije Stepinac

Saint Marko Križevčanin, a priest from Križevci, was one of the 3 martyrs of Košice, killed in 1619 and canonized by John Paul II in 1995. John Paul II himself, canonized in 2014, the year before these windows were made, raises his hand in blessing before the dome of Saint Peter's.

Stained glass window of Saint John Paul II blessing, before the dome of Saint Peter's in Rome, Stolac

Saint John Paul II Stained glass window of Saint Marko Križevčanin in a red cape with a palm branch, Stolac

Saint Marko Križevčanin

Close up, the painting of the gold vestments, the lace and the face shows how much work lies in a single window.

Detail of the stained glass window of Saint John Paul II, gold vestments, mitre and pastoral staff, Stolac — Saint John Paul II, detail

The patrons

For the 2 patrons of the parish, Saint Anne teaches the young Mary from a scroll under the words Mala Gospa, and Elijah rises to heaven in his chariot of fire while Elisha below reaches for his falling mantle.

Stained glass window of Mala Gospa, Saint Anne teaching the young Mary from a scroll, Stolac

Mala Gospa Stained glass window of Saint Elijah taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire, with Elisha below, Stolac

Saint Elijah the Prophet

Our Lady of Vidoštak

One window carries the memory of the place itself. At the top is the old stone relief of Our Lady with the Child found at Vidoštak near Stolac, which the parish history describes as the emblem of the Diocese of Trebinje, with the words recalling the diocese's millennium, celebrated in 1984. Below it stands the parish church of Stolac, with its bell tower and rose window.

Stained glass window of Gospa Vidoštačka, the relief of Our Lady from Vidoštak and the parish church of Stolac, in memory of the millennium of the Diocese of Trebinje, 1984 — Gospa Vidoštačka
Stolac parish church

See more of our stained glass commissions and sacred art.

Church: Church of Saint Elijah the Prophet, Stolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Pastor: don Rajko Marković
Work: 15 new stained glass windows, about 350 sq ft, new metal frames
Fabrication: Stanisic Studio, Sombor, Republic of Serbia
Offer: 3 February 2015

Fire, Music and Saints: 15 Stained Glass Windows for Saint Elijah in Stolac